A Whole New Game
by pastheart
Summary: "Attention Tributes. Attention. The regulation requiring a single victor has been suspended. Two victors of opposite gender may be crowned. This will be the only announcement."
1. Chapter 1

Summary: _"Attention Tributes. Attention. The regulation requiring a single victor has been suspended. Two victors of opposite gender may be crowned. This will be the only announcement."_

Chapter 1

Katniss stared into the crowd without ever really seeing any of them. Their overly enthusiastic clapping was dying down, and she hoped that at any moment she would wake up from this terrible nightmare. She tried to focus in, remembering the threat that President Snow had personally delivered.

Caesar leaned towards them, "I know normally we let ladies go first, but I'm just so excited to hear your takeaway on the games."

His arm brushed against Katniss' dress as he patted Cato on the leg twice. Katniss gave a faint smile. She was supposed to smile, right?

"I'm glad to tell it all." Cato smiled, and Katniss could hear the front row sighing with admiration. "I volunteered for the games with one goal. To win the games. I always knew I was going to walk out the victor. There was never any doubt in my mind."

"And we never doubted you. You were a fan favorite from the very beginning. Let's look at some of the highlights."

The screen behind them began playing. Katniss fought the urge to cringe at each death. She just had to make it through this one interview. Then she could go home, and she could forget all about the games until the victory tour.

Her facade nearly crumbled when she heard Peeta's voice in the midst of the careers right before Cato killed another tribute. It wasn't until the reel quit playing that Katniss realized that she had been holding her breath.

"And what an amazing victory it was." Caesar beamed as the crowd cheered wildly once more.

"Thank you, Caesar. It was an honor to represent my district. One of the highest honors a citizen has is representing their district well in the games." He sounded like a Capital propaganda tool. The worst part was he truly believed what he was saying.

"I'm sure District 2 is as proud as we all are."

"Thank you." Cato flashed a smile, and Katniss was sure that every woman in the audience was ready to take him home as if he were a stray pup. "I didn't just walk out victor of the games. I take away quite a bit of knowledge that I learned from my time in the arena."

"Oh. Don't leave us hanging!"

"I learned how far strength and determination will take you. I'm almost ashamed to admit, but in the arena, I learned about my weaknesses. I learned there are things that I could work on." The women all sighed before a clip of Cato failing to chase after Katniss once she had climbed up into the tree. "These lessons served me well in the games, but I walked away with the knowledge that these aren't even the most important things in life. I never thought that I would be thinking such a thing, but the games proved me wrong." He reached over and held Katniss' hand, resting both of their hands on her leg.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I think we missed something." The crowd gasped and turned their heads asking their neighbor on either side if they had any suspicion. Caesar moved in his seat and leaned towards them. "Tell me when did this come about. How did it come about?"

This? What was he talking about this? What was this? Katniss realized her hand was being held, and she looked down at it. It was the wrong hand. There should have been a different hand. The hand she wanted belonged to a boy who was kind and enamored with the Capital upon arrival. It belonged to a boy who tossed her bread when she was cold and wet and starving. The hand holding hers belonged to the brute who had snuffed out his life without a second thought. She withdrew her hand from his and clasped her other one before folding them both into her lap.

"I know you're hoping for me to tell you that it was love at first sight. To be honest, I hated her upon first sight. She was a rival I didn't think worthy of consideration, but she had this determination about her. Then she kept doing things that brought attention back to her. She scored an 11 in her session."

"You received a 10, correct?"

"Yes, I couldn't understand how she could have possibly have done better than me."

"Katniss, tell us. What did you do to make such an impression?"

"I was just my normally overdetermined self." She smiled and wondered how much longer this would go on. The last time she had been on this stage she had been told to make herself appealing to gain sponsors. This time she had been told not to upset the balance.

"Cato, how did you go from hating this beautiful creature to wanting something more?" The audience leaned in as if they were about to get a scandalous piece of gossip.

"I suppose there was always something there, and that's why I was so driven to get rid of her. When they announced that there could be more than one victor, I was certain that Clove and I would make it out of the arena."

Katniss remembered the announcement. _"Attention Tributes. Attention. The regulation requiring a single victor has been suspended. Two victors of opposite gender may be crowned. This will be the only announcement."_

"Katniss, did you have a similar thought?"

"Yes, I ran to find Peeta."

"How did you feel when you found him?"

"I was so relieved, and I thought we had a real chance of going home together. Even with his injury, we could make it we just had to stick it out."

"So we have the star crossed lovers from District 12 and the Tributes from District 2. Both teams aiming to go home together. If Clove had made it out instead of Katniss, would the two of you be a couple?"

"No. Clove was my friend, and it's hard knowing she didn't make it out of the areana, but we would have always just been friends."

"What was going through your head when you realized that Clove wasn't making it out?"

"I was angry, and my first thought was I had to get vengeance for Clove. He was a dead man walking from the moment his name was drawn, but I was going to kill him."

"And you did."

"Yes, and then I was left with nothing. The cannons had fired twenty-one times. There were only three of us left, but by that point, I was uncertain as to who the other two were. As I hunted to find them, I realized I wanted it to be her. I wanted her to make it out of the arena."

"You find them, but you don't make your presence known."

"No. I really had to think. I knew they were on the lookout for me, and I knew that at least one of us wasn't leaving that arena. I knew that if she spotted me before I did what had to be done that she would attack me to save him, and I might injure her instead."

"It didn't stop her from attacking you though."

"No, she was just so overwhelmed with his death. I think she thought that if I was gone then it would mean that he wasn't."

"How did that make you feel?"

"I'll tell you. It hurt. Here I had just had this revelation that I wanted her to be victorious so I that I could have the opportunity to get to know her, and here she was trying to kill me. Thankfully, I'm quite a bit stronger than she."

"Will you be going to the ball together?" Caesar asked, wiggly his eyebrows.

"No" He had implied it like it was a date. She had forgotten about the ball tomorrow night. She would be forced to go to yet another event where she would be forced to play nice and act like Cato wasn't a bad person while everyone fawned all over him.

"I'm hoping I can change her mind before tomorrow night."

"Well you've got quite a challenge on your hands."

"I love a challenge."

"Ladies and gentlemen, your 74th Hunger Game Victors." Katniss and Cato both stood with Caesar before exiting the stage as the crowd cheered.

The moment she was able Katniss fled from the stage and returned to her apartment. Effie and the rest of the team trailing after her. She locked herself in her room, refusing to listen to her team's pleas that she did fine. Then, she heard Haymitch's voice and one she didn't recognize.

"What game is he playing?" Haymitch asked.

"I don't think he is playing a game."

"He came out a victor. What does he get by mocking their love? From shoving it in her face, that Peeta didn't make it out?"

"He's not mocking her. We all knew the star crossed lovers were doomed from the start. The boy is honestly smitten with her."

"Bullshit. I don't buy it for a minute."

"Haymitch, no one is asking you to buy it. Go back to your drink and convince the girl to go with him tomorrow. The Capital will love it. She's pretty lucky that a Victor from District 2 has any interest in her. I'm sure he'll go back to District 2 after the ball, and by the time the victory tour rolls around, he'll have forgotten all about her."

A/N: I haven't decided yet on a title so it may change, and I'm open to suggestions on it.


	2. District 11

But he hadn't forgotten. She had consumed his every waking thought for the past six months. He often wondered if she thought about him nearly a fraction of the amount that he thought about her.

He had spent the past six months building his brand and consulting with his team for his victory tour wardrobe. Like his uncle before, the games had given him an in every where. People wanted to do business with a victor. He wondered what Katniss had done with her fame.

Cato smiled as the train pulled into District 11. She would already be here waiting. Her team had been sent to prepare her and bring her here where they would give their victory speeches. Then they would all leave on this train to go to District 10. He glanced back and smiled at the box that rested on the bed.

He hoped she liked his welcome gift. It hadn't struck him to get her one since technically this wasn't his train until he was passing the shop on the way to meet his mother for coffee. It fit the mannequin terribly, but he knew on her it would be other worldly. It reminded him of the very first time he had laid eyes on her.

He had been too stubborn then to admit what he was feeling. Desire. Envy. Lust. He was being shown up. A volunteer from District 2 was being shown up from some backwater tributes from District 12, but she had been regal in her chariot. The Girl on Fire. Had she not been a competitor, he would have sought her out and made a claim. Seeing how she was, he could allow himself nothing but the urge to destroy her and the boy who was claiming what he could not.

But that was months ago. Now he would have time with her to prove that he was a good match for her. He had proven in the arena that he would be a good protector. Even without his family's money, he was a good provider. In the past 6 months, he had built his business interests. He wasn't even sure what her interests were, but he knew that she would never have to work.

He had known going into the shop that it would make him late for coffee, which would upset his mother. He had done it anyhow. Then, when he had arrived to discover she had brought her current projects with her, he was glad he had done it. They had fawned all over him and shown him the proper amount of attention to clearly display that they were interested in marrying a victor. He was not the least bit interested.

Cato was his normal charming self. Had they been in District 2, people would have been falling all over his words. In District 11, they mirrored the weather. Gray cloudly skies with the threat of a down pour. He had heard there were rumblings in the District of late, which would explain all of the extra peace keepers that had been brought in. He had overheard Effie telling Katniss to just stick to her cards.

She hadn't said one word to him. He had smiled at her and said hello. In return, she had ignored him. Her hands were trembling as she read from the cards.

She looked up from her cards into the crowd. Cato's concern grew as he watched her set the cards down, knowing she was about to do something wreckless and without any thought.

"I didn't know Tresh very well. He was a quiet giant. The determination and kindness he displayed tells me he was a good man. Rue was quiet, humble, and adventurous. She would have been a good story teller one day. They were citizens that we could all be proud of. For the good of Panem, we should all strive to be citizens like Tresh and Rue."

Effie quickly rushed forward, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games."

The crowd slowly began to clap, and it built momentum. Katniss knew that they were forced to clap. She had been in the crowd enough times to know what was expected during one of these speeches. What Cato realized that she did not was they were actually clapping for her. She had said something that they liked, and in the midst of their reminded grief, she had said something that resonated with them.

They boarded the train, and the newcomers were given their room assignments.

"I think that went well enough." Brutus said, clapping his hands together before rubbing them. "We'll meet in the dining car in 10 minutes for a round of drinks."

Cato had been the last one to arrive to the car. He had been busy paying a peacekeeper to deliver the present to Katniss' room.

"There you are. We've been waiting on you." Cato looked past Brutus' shoulder to see a white envelope addressed to both him and Katniss propped up on the table. He took it and opened it before reading it out loud.

Congratulations on completing the first stop of your tour. This tour will be different from all previous victory tours. If you have not yet noticed, there are cameras throughout the train. Your whole journey in addition to your speeches will be televised.

May the odds be ever in your favor,

President Rockinbottom

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and is following


	3. Welcoming Gift

Katniss returned to her room, angered that once more she wouldn't have a single moment of privacy. It was no wonder why Haymitch drank so much. Okay, that wasn't really fair. She knew why Haymitch drank so much. The Games and their aftermath had really done a number on him. She was sure that no one enjoyed seeing Snow gone more than Haymitch did. She wouldn't be surprised if he regretted not being what took him out.

Katniss was so distracted that she nearly missed the box sitting on her bed. It was simply beautiful. It appeared to be covered in a white satin paper and tied with a shiny, red ribbon. She hesitantly approached it and pulled at the bow.

The ribbon fell to the side. She touched the top of the box and wasn't surprised to find it felt like actual satin. She lifted the top off and set it down on the bed. She was greeted by layers of white tissue paper, embossed in gold with the name of the store. She carefully removed each layer and delicately laid them on the top of the box to avoid tearing any. Then, she came to red material. Running her hands over it, the material moved like water.

She pulled the material out to discover it was a dress. Katniss couldn't recall ever seeing one nearly as beautiful as the one she held. She was certain that no one in her District had ever owned anything half as nice. The Capital had lots of ornate dresses, but they were all too flashy. This one was simple but elegant.

Without a second thought, she held it against her person. It would fall midcalf when worn. She stepped in front of the mirror and turn partially to the right and then partially to the left. Then she did a small twirl. It flowed without effort. Katniss couldn't remember the last time she had allowed herself to be carefree.

She looked towards the hem of the dress and caught site of a white envelope in the reflection of the mirror, lying on the floor. She walked back over to the bed and gently rearranged the dress back in the box.

She picked the envelope up, flicked it up open, and slid the card out. Her eyes read each word before sliding the card back into the envelope. She then placed it on top of the dress and left her room to join the others to attend the District 11 dinner.

She found everyone milling about in the lounge. Then, the train lurched forward. "What's going on? I thought we were going to dinner."

"Intelligence says that District 11 doesn't like you two lovebirds together." Brutus said smirking.

"We are not lovebirds nor will we ever be."

"Apparently, the District is smitten with you for your relationship with their female tribute and want to kill him for making moves on you after he killed their male tribute. Rather than try to foil an assassination attempt, it's been decided that we will have dinner on the train and continue on to District 10."

"I see." Katniss said and headed towards the dining car.

"No remorse over someone trying to kill me?" Cato had hoped that by now she would have started to form some attachment to him. If nothing else, he had hoped that she had found his gift and was warming up to the fact that he wasn't such a bad guy and she should give him a chance.

"Cato, I wouldn't be surprised if half your District wasn't trying to kill you." On that note, she exited the car.

Haymitch slapped a hand on Cato's shoulder. "Well that could have gone better."

Dinner started out as a silent and tense affair. No one quite sure how to handle the matter of Cato's intentions not being well received in the District and Katniss not wanting anything to do with him. It was finally Effie who broke the silence.

"Jade, that is a beautiful bracelet. You must tell me where you got it from!"

"I stole it from Cato's new collection." Jade said as she reached her arm across the table to give Effie a better view.

"Really? I never would have pictured jewelry as part of your portfolio, Cato."

"The collection is set to debut at the end of the tour." Cato smiled. He was thrilled to find his collection was already being admired. Since he knew that the train was being televised, he knew that the collection would sell out in minutes with Effie praising it.

"How exciting!" Effie clapped her hands over the excitement. Katniss rolled her eyes and pushed the vegetables around on her plate before taking a bite, reminding herself that the food she was playing with was something that most of the people in her District didn't have the pleasure of eating.

"Cato has several projects in the work. He's really working to diversify his portfolio. He's run into a few snags with the coal shortage so a few of them are running behind schedule."

"District 12 is sorry to be such an inconvenience." It was the only words that Katniss had spoken throughout the dinner, and it was clear that she thought the conversation was frivilous.

"Katniss!" Effie exclaimed, shocked that her victor would still continue to act in such a manner. This was the same Katniss that she had met at the reaping. She had attempted to groom her into a fine young woman who would meld well into the Capital, but it seemed that the past six months in District 12 had undone all of her hard work.

"No. Do you know why there is a coal shortage? It isn't because District 12 is too busy twiddling our thumbs or designing jewelry. There's been two cave-ins and a fire so excuse us for the inconvenience."

"How's Gale?" Haymitch asked as he took a drink

"Doctor said Prim probably saved his leg. He said it would take another week to be certain. Definitely won't be able to go back in the mines for another six months."

Cato stewed, starring at her from his set. Who the hell was Gale? She couldn't give him the time of day, but she was already moving onto another District 12 loser.

"He wasn't very happy that I went to help volunteer with clearing out the first cave-in, and I told the foreman that I could help with the second cave-in when I get back from the tour."

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" Cato shouted from across the table.

Katniss stood up. "I'll do whatever the hell I want."

She didn't give him a chance to respond before storming out of the car.

With the exception of Katniss, everyone had retired back to the lounge car and were indulging in post dinner drinks. Katniss had returned to her room and carefully placed each layer of tissue paper back in the box. Then, she tried to retie the ribbon on the box.

She had decided that she didn't care if the dress was another Capital ploy or if it had come from Cato. She wanted no part of it. She only had to get through eleven more Districts, and then she wouldn't have to see him for at least another six months. If she was lucky, he would let Brutus continue to mentor, and she wouldn't have to see him at all.

She carried the box out of the room and down the hall. She passed several peacekeepers who barely glanced at her. She found everyone in the lounge.

She wasn't surprised to see that Haymitch was already half drunk. She was surprised to see Cato sitting in the chair facing the door. He set his drink on the table beside him and watched as she approached him.

The room grew silent as the tension built. She stopped right in front of him and dropped the box in his lap. "I don't want anything from you. Ever."

He watched as she spun around and headed back the way she came. He called after her as she reached the door. "Katniss"

She paused but gave no further response.

"I meant every word." Then he watched her leave the train, and he was left with the decision of what to do with the box.

A/N: Thank you for the nice reviews I got over the weekend. I've been a little down with sinus issues so they were a nice pick me up. Hope this chapter meets expectations.


	4. Chapter 4

He swirled the brandy in his tumbler. They had crossed two more pathetic Districts off their lists. Cato was looking forward to being home again. He just had to get through seven more Districts. Of course, he had thought by now Katniss would be over this mood that she was in. He had believed that his charming self would have won her over by now. He had never had trouble attracting the opposite gender. Hell, he didn't even have trouble attracting his own gender.

He had received numerous offers from Capital citizens. Some were marriage proposals. Some were offers to relieve housewives of their boredom. Some were to entertain the wife and the husband. The list went on. He wondered if Katniss ever received such offers. The thought made him burn with jealous rage. What if she had accepted them? He knew that she didn't come from the best environment. Even if the Capital sent her a monthly salary, he was sure the money offers had to be tempting. His glass was ready to shatter in the grip that grew in rage with each thought. Then he remembered a very important detail. Despite being the girl on fire, his beloved was an ice queen. She wouldn't have given any of them the time of day.

Speaking of his beloved, where was she? She hadn't been at dinner. She had preformed the same at District 9 as she had at District 10. She had simply read from her que cards, not deviating in the slightest. Then she had simply disappeared. He hoped that she wasn't attempting to do something stupid.

When Katniss was a little girl, her father would come home from the coal mines, and her family would spend time together before bed. Normally, it was over a small dinner followed by either reading or working on something that they would try to sell later. Then her father died, and her mother had become a shell of her former self. Katniss had been left alone to care for Prim.

Thankfully, Gale had been a great friend. He had done what he could to make sure that both his and her family had food despite what risks they had to take. He just had to get through one more reaping, and he would be safe. He had confessed that the odds weren't in his favor, and she had been worried that one or both of their names would be reaped. The world had flipped when Prim's name had been called. It had hit Katniss shortly after she had screamed to take Prim's place that her life was over. She never expected to make it out of the arena, but she was determined to try her best. She had promised Prim she would win.

She had been angered when Peeta had announced his love for her. She had run to him when she thought there was a real chance of them both leaving the games. Her kissing him had been a strategic move in attempt to get sponsors to save his life. She hadn't realized that it would change her forever. Then, it had just been the three of them left in the arena. She had never seen Cato's attack coming.

Something snapped in her, and she didn't care anymore. She didn't care whether or not she left the arena. She just wanted to hurt Cato like he had hurt her. She had just been going along with Peeta's affections in an attempt to buy them sponsors. That's what she had been telling herself the past few days. It wasn't until she was on the train home that she had realized he had stolen her heart.

She would never again hear him try to be charming or tell him he was being stupid for thinking the Capital was such a nice place. She would never get to tell him how thankful she was that he had warned her and saved her from the Careers despite knowing he was putting himself in danger. Or how sorry she was for being so stupid not to realize that he had always loved her. There were so many things that she would never be able to say or experience because Peeta was dead.

It wasn't until that moment that she understood her mother. Since her father had died, she had thought her mom had been weak and selfish. Now, she understood that her mother was dying of a broken heart, and the only way she knew how to numb the pain was to just be absent. Katniss couldn't allow herself to become her mother. She couldn't let the Capital think that they had beaten her down. She knew coming back as a ghost would have been worse than breaking her promise to Prim. So Katniss allowed herself to grieve for Peeta the whole way home, and then she had promised herself she wouldn't allow herself to drown in the grief. The promise was harder to keep on some days than others.

The Victory Tour was a constant reminder of what had been taken from her. Haymitch hadn't asked any questions, and he hadn't stopped her when she had come to visit the alcohol cabinet. She had only allowed herself two drinks each night on those days, but it had made it easier to sleep.

Now she was being escorted by peacekeepers to a room she didn't know in a District that wasn't her own. The hall was dark and stale. She stopped mid-stride as a flash back of another time she had been escorted down a similar hall hit her. The peacekeeper to her right grabbed arm and continued her along. They stopped in front of a door before knocking twice. The door slid open, and she was signaled to walk through. The door slid closed behind her with neither peacekeeper entering with her.

"Good evening, Ms. Everdeen." The man in the chair said. The back of the chair faced her.

"Good evening"

He turned to face her, and Katniss tried not to act in surprise that she was facing Panem's President. She tried not to show fear. She told herself that she had met with President Snow. She had been threatened by President Snow and lived.

"Have a seat." He gestured to the seat sitting across from him. "Do you care if I call you Katniss? I would so like for us to be friends."

She took the seat and eyed him cautiously. "Why?"

"You're a victor of the 74th Hunger Games. That's a big deal in of itself. Not to mention you're a female victor from District 12. And you're the only victor to have a co-victor. It's all very impressive."

"What is it that you want?"

"I want what you want. I want to keep Primrose out of the Games."

Katniss swallowed. Every reply she thought of sounded like a challenge, and she couldn't risk Prim.

"The 75th Quell is this year. Wouldn't it make a spectacle to have a Victor's bloodline in the arena?"

"What is it that you want? What do you want from me?"

"Now there lies the question. I want to do away with the Games."

"What?"

"Let's be honest. They don't really serve anyone. They provide some entertainment for the Capital and boom its economy, but all it does is terrify the Districts. They're getting restless. I could either come down hard on the Districts to cut off possible rebellion or I could end the Games."

"Then end the Games."

"Then I have to answer to the citizens of the Capital. They've grown rather fond of them."

"So what are you going to do then?"

"I need a distraction for them. I was hoping to provide that in the form of you."

"I'm not that interesting."

"They're rather fond of you. And Cato."

"I see."

He leaned forward. "I'm not asking you to marry the boy. I'm telling you to quit hiding away in your room. I can't sell the two of you as entertainment if you're never in the same room together."

"You don't plan on ending the cameras after the tour, do you?"'

"The choice is completely up to you. Either they follow you or they follow Primrose into the arena."

"I understand." She stood from her chair, intent on leaving.

"Good. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your tour."

"Thank you"


	5. Chapter 5

His head hurt slightly. He would have to take something for it as soon as he went back to his room. He had indulged in a little too much whiskey when he realized she wasn't coming back. He was worried that she had attempted to run or do something equal as stupid. He couldn't go after her, which made it all the worse. First, he had no idea where she had gone. Secondly, if she was doing something stupid, he couldn't risk being part of it.

She had given him a look of disapproval when she had walked back through the car late last night. He recalled lifting his glass and offering for her to join him, but she had continued to walk on past. Had he known that she had considered coming back to join him to stave off the President's newest threat, he would have been furious. At her. Himself. And his government.

His heart leapt when she sat down across from him. There were other seats available at the table. More than one that would have put a distance between them. Yet, she chose to sit across from him. In addition, she had obviously put some effort into her appearance this morning. Not the type of effort that would have come from Effie and Cyena helping her. It certainly wasn't the type of effort he would see from one of the women of his district, but for Katniss, it was enough effort that it couldn't go unnoticed.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked, placing her napkin into her lap.

He thought about lying and telling her that it was nothing. He was good at pretending not to have any weaknesses, but he found himself not wanting to lie to her. He had never lied to her. Not once, and he didn't plan on starting now. He wanted her to know that he would always tell her the truth. "Slight headache. I'll take something for it later."

She frowned at him as he poured himself a glass of wine.

"What now, Katniss?"

She sighed. "You shouldn't drink so much."

"You shouldn't be such a coward." He snarled back.

"I'm not a coward." She said, reaching for the jam. The others trickled in and took their seats.

"Could have fooled me."

"Children, play nice." Brutus chuckled, taking his seat.

The room went silent with only the sound of utensils scrapping against the plates being heard. Cato watched Katniss as she ate. He expected her to avoid eye contact with him, but she didn't. He wasn't sure how to take it.

"What time are we addressing the district?" Katniss asked.

The question shocked the other occupants in the room. Katniss had proven for the last three districts to stay to her room with the exception of following the tour schedule. The room stayed silent for a minute until Effie spoke. "It's set for three."

"Plenty of time to go to the market." Katniss stated. Not asking. While she legally was still considered a minor, she had earned the right to be treated as an adult. Half of the people had the table hadn't endured what she had. Why should she need their permission to go anywhere?

"What are you needing? We might have it on the train." Jade offered up.

"I'd rather go to the market."

"Katniss, it might not be safe." Effie stated.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure they have peace keepers here." She wasn't backing down. She needed room to breathe. She needed to get away from the train.

"I could go with her." Cato offered up.

"That's not necessary. Weren't you going to take something for your headache, anyhow?" Katniss tried to keep her tone polite.

"It won't take me that long. Plus, I'm sure that it will take time to get clearance for us to go to the market and arrange for a camera crew."

"None of which is necessary." Katniss said while stabbing a piece of fruit.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

"You didn't have to come." Katniss said. She kept walking, twiddling with a piece of leather between her hands.

"It's nice to be off the train. The market in District 2 is much better. I'll take you when we get there." Cato smiled like the cat that ate the canary.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary. I'll find what I'm looking for here." Katniss forged ahead. This wasn't exactly what she had in mind.

Last night, as she laid in bed, she pictured herself walking in the market, alone with no one reminding her that she was a victor. She would just be a normal person in a market place looking for a purchase. Instead, she was walking next to Cato and being followed by a camera crew. She didn't have any delusions of escape today. The President's threats last night were enough to keep her from doing anything foolish. She couldn't. Not for Prim's sake. But she needed a respite. She needed just a moment to breathe. She couldn't remember the last time that she had been able to breathe on her own without someone monitoring her.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Cato asked, curious as to what had brought her out here. To his knowledge, she wasn't one for shopping. Effie had seemed rather shock that she insisted on going shopping. Let alone here. Effie had tried to persuade her at the last minute to wait to go shopping in the Capital. Katniss wouldn't hear of it. She had even gone so far as to compromise and say that they could go on a second shopping trip when they reached the Capital.

"A gift for Primrose." She responded honestly.

"She's your sister?" Cato asked even though he already knew the answer. Everyone already knew the answer. Who could forget that the girl on fire had only been in the Games because she volunteered to take her sister's place?

"Yes." She turned to face him and stopped. "Look you don't have to do this."

"Do what?" He asked.

"Pretend to be nice to me. Escort me around District 8. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Why don't we go our separate ways? We'll meet back up at before we head back to the train."

"Then who would get the camera crew?" He smirked at her.

She frowned at him. "You are more than welcome to them."

He grabbed her arm as she started to walk away. She did not take kindly to it. "Katniss, I'm not pretending to be nice. I'm not going to lie to you and say I'm a nice person, but I genuinely want to be nice to you. I didn't volunteer to come because it was a chore. I want to spend time with you."

"I don't care what you want or what you do." Katniss jerked her arm out of his grasp.

He sighed and followed her. They stopped at a number of booths. He couldn't discern a rhyme or reason as to what she picked up. Yet, she purchased nothing.

Finally, he picked up a compact and opened it. It wasn't anything special. It held a mirror and several shades of makeup along with an applicator. He didn't know of a woman that would take a second glance at it, but to someone in District 12, it might be a treasure. "What about this?"

Katniss looked over. "It's makeup."

"Yeah so?"

"She's thirteen."

"Your point?" Some days he didn't understand her at all.

"She's not old enough for makeup." She tried to hold her temper. She knew that he didn't understand their district. He didn't understand how much makeup would draw attention to her.

He set it back down and followed her over to a booth full of scarves. Her hands ran over the various ones. Cato touched one and had to admit that it wasn't bad quality. She pulled down a blue one and a green one before handing them to the shop keep. "Can I have these two, please?"

Cato watched as the shop keep wrapped them in paper and handed them to Katniss. She stuck them in the satchel bag that she had been carrying. It was then that he noticed that she had another bag attached to it. He chose not to ask about it.

He followed her to a puzzle booth, where he was quickly distracted with solving several of the puzzles that were on the table. "Does District 12 have anything like this?"

He frowned and looked up when she didn't respond. She wasn't there. He turned to the camera crew. "Where did she go?"

They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"Idiots." He dropped the puzzle and went looking for her. She wasn't at any of the surrounding booths. He had nearly missed her as he passed any alley. He would have if he hadn't caught sight of her trademark jacket out of the corner of his eye.

The camera crew struggled to keep up with him. He went on autopilot as his hand snatched her arm and pulled her up, twirling her around to face him. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Let go of me." She struggled to get free of him.

"You can't just run off like that." He tried to reign his temper back in, realizing that he was still screaming at her as the children behind her shuttered back. He couldn't tell exactly what it was that they were clutching to their chests.

"You're not in charge. I don't answer to you."

He tightened his grip. "Do you not understand that there are people who want us dead? Three districts ago someone plotted an assassination attempt. It's not safe for you to run off on your own."

"Let go of me. You're hurting me!"

"Tell me you understand." He brought her closer to him. His heart racing.

"I understand. Now let go of me." Her arm ached where he had gripped it too tightly, but she was relieved that he had finally let go of her.

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After his outburst, Cato had no desire to continue shopping. He was worried that he had ruined any progress that he had made by shouting at her. He wanted her back on the safety of the train where there would be no lack of eyes to monitor her movements.

"Wait." Katniss stopped walking. "This isn't the way."

"It's the way back to the train." Cato explained, debating between grabbing her and waiting for her to move on her own. He sighed. "There's lunch, and we still have to get ready for this afternoon."

Katniss appeared to be angry. Cato wasn't sure if it was due to him directing her back to the train or the mention of the speeches they would give this afternoon. Her hands balled into fists, she walked past him in the direction of the train. At least, she was going where he wanted her to.

Then she turned left. He followed after her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To the market. There's still hours before we have to be back."

"Look, I get it. I screwed up. I shouldn't have lost my temper back there."

"I accept your apology." She kept walking.

He gritted his teeth. "Katniss, let's just go back to the train."

"You can go back to the train if you want. I'm not done shopping."

"Oh, come on. No one would want to shop here. The smell is putrid. Look around, it's an industrial wasteland."

She turned and walked took two steps towards him. "I wonder if District 2 lives in opulence or if the majority lives like the rest of us."

He refrained from grabbing her. From dragging her back to the train. He was trying to show her that he cared for her. The whole world was watching him try to prove himself to her as she berated him. His blood boiled, rage seething, ripping under his skin. Through gritted teeth, he said, "We're going back to the train."

Then a boom rang out, and the ground shook. Both barely managing to stay standing. She reached out and grabbed his forearms to stay steady. Then in an instance, she took off running towards the blast.

A camera man stood up from the ground where he had fallen. Cato caught sight of her running towards the building that was collapsing. He took off running after her. She was going to manage to get them both killed.

He kept hitting bodies that were running in the opposite direction of him. He could hear the camera crew running after him. Everything must have happened faster than he thought it had because the next thing he knew the factory was completely collapsed and a cloud of dust came raging through, nearly knocking him off his feet.

He doubled over, coughing. When he finally got his breath again, he noticed that the world had gone silent. All he could see in front of him was dust that had yet to settle. He looked behind him and could make out the camera crew, covered in dust. Frantically trying to get their camera lenses cleaned.

He couldn't make out anything that might resemble Katniss. He took a deep breath. "KATNISS! KATNISS!"

The silence mocked him.

A/N: Thank you for hanging in there.


End file.
